Find a good recruiter, build a long-term relationship, reap the rewards.

Firstly, find a recruiter that SPECIALIZES in your industry. Their depth of knowledge will be far greater in terms of players in the industry, salary comparisons and variety of companies they could present you to, than a generalist.

Secondly find a seasoned one at that! Someone who’s built up experience (10 years plus), contacts, networks etc.

They should become your “go to person” with anything to do with recruitment. (finding a job or hiring staff) 

View them as your “personal recruiter”  (like your dentist, or hairdresser, etc) as they can play a valuable role in sharing industry news / insider information, alerting you to opportunities they know you’d want to hear about, advising you and having YOUR best interests at heart, and walking with you step by step through a process of acquiring a new job, or finding the right staff for you.

From client insights, to details about the role that would assist you when being interviewed, to interview notes and questions to ask, through to salary negotiations and offer stage, they are there to be that stability and sounding board. Over time you’ll build up a camaraderie, an understanding and a strong level of trust. 

Having that relationship should allow you to call them up, tell them you’re interested in X company or Y job and let them get you in the door.

Applying to a company directly and dealing with internal HR is a mind field. There’s no relationship or vested interest in you and you are a possible employee and that’s it. You are at their mercy, their experience is usually limited, there’s no support, and certainly no advice in terms of salary or negotiating like you’d be able to do with a recruiter representing you. They’re only focused on their company’s goals of hiring someone. So that’s not ideal.

So how do you go about finding “that recruiter”?

Research! Who specialises in your industry? ask around in your circles / contacts and keep trying until you find them. Search job adverts, industry publications and make yourself “visible” by having a strong detailed LinkedIn profile for one, and who knows, they might just find you.